HTML Entity Encoder/Decoder
Encode special characters to HTML entities and decode HTML entities back to characters. Essential for developers working with HTML, XML, and web content.
Text to Encode
Enter text with special characters
Common HTML Entities
Encoded Result
HTML entities ready to use in code
Enter text to encode to HTML entities
Conversion happens instantly as you type
When to Use HTML Entities
- In HTML content: Prevent special characters from being interpreted as HTML tags
- In attributes: Safely include quotes and special characters in HTML attributes
- Special symbols: Display copyright, trademark, currency, and mathematical symbols
- Data sanitization: Prevent XSS attacks by encoding user input
- XML/RSS feeds: Ensure valid XML by encoding reserved characters
What are HTML Entities?
HTML entities are special codes used to represent characters that have special meaning in HTML or characters that cannot be easily typed on a keyboard. They start with an ampersand (&) and end with a semicolon (;), with either a name or number in between.
⚡ Named Entities
Use descriptive names like < for < and © for ©. More readable but limited coverage.
🔢 Numeric Entities
Use character codes like < for <. Can represent any Unicode character.
💡 Pro Tip
Always encode user input before displaying it in HTML to prevent XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) attacks. This is a critical security practice for web applications.
Essential HTML Entities Reference
Reserved Characters
Characters with special meaning in HTML that must be encoded to display literally.
Copyright & Legal Symbols
Common symbols for copyright, trademarks, and legal notices.
Currency Symbols
International currency symbols for global e-commerce and content.
Mathematical Symbols
Common mathematical operators and symbols.
Arrows & Symbols
Directional arrows and common typographic symbols.
Spacing & Formatting
Special spacing and line break entities for precise formatting.
Named Entities vs. Numeric Entities
Named Entities
- • More readable in source code
- • Self-documenting (e.g., ©)
- • Easier to remember common ones
- • Standard across browsers
- • Limited to predefined entities
- • Not all characters have names
- • Case-sensitive
Numeric Entities
- • Can represent any Unicode character
- • Universal compatibility
- • Predictable and systematic
- • No memorization needed
- • Less readable in source code
- • Harder to edit manually
- • Requires Unicode knowledge
HTML Entity Best Practices
✅ Security: Always Encode User Input
- • Encode all user-generated content before displaying in HTML
- • Prevents XSS (Cross-Site Scripting) attacks
- • Essential for comments, form submissions, and user profiles
- • Encode at output time, not at input/storage
📝 Attributes: Encode Quotes
- • Always encode quotes in HTML attributes
- • Use " for double quotes in attribute values
- • Use ' or ' for single quotes
- • Example: <div title="He said "Hello"">
🌐 International Content: Use UTF-8
- • Set <meta charset="UTF-8"> in your HTML
- • Type most international characters directly
- • Only encode special HTML characters (<, >, &)
- • Entities are mainly for compatibility, not internationalization
⚡ Performance: Don't Over-Encode
- • Only encode characters that need encoding
- • Regular letters and numbers don't need encoding
- • Encoding everything makes HTML larger and slower
- • Focus on <, >, &, quotes, and special symbols
Common Use Cases
Displaying Code Examples
When showing HTML, JavaScript, or XML code in documentation, encode all tags so they display as text instead of being interpreted as markup.
User Comments & Reviews
Encode user-submitted content to prevent malicious scripts. If a user types <script>, it will display safely as text instead of executing.
Copyright Notices & Legal Text
Use proper symbols for copyright, trademarks, and registered marks in footer text and legal notices.
E-commerce Product Descriptions
Display prices with proper currency symbols, measurements with degree symbols, and special characters safely.
RSS Feeds & XML Data
XML requires strict encoding of <, >, &, quotes, and apostrophes to be valid. RSS feeds must encode all content properly.
Email HTML Templates
Email clients have varying HTML support. Encoding special characters ensures consistent rendering across different email platforms.
Frequently Asked Questions
When should I use HTML entities instead of typing characters directly?▼
Use HTML entities for reserved HTML characters (<, >, &, quotes) that would otherwise be interpreted as HTML markup. For other special characters like ©, €, or °, you can type them directly if you're using UTF-8 encoding (which is standard). However, entities ensure compatibility with older systems and are required for security when displaying user input.
What's the difference between ' and ' for apostrophes?▼
Both represent the apostrophe (') character, but ' is the numeric entity and' is the named entity. While ' is defined in XML, it's not part of the HTML4 specification. For maximum compatibility in HTML, use '. In HTML5, both are valid, but ' is more widely supported.
Do I need to encode special characters in JSON or JavaScript?▼
No, HTML entities are specific to HTML and XML. In JSON and JavaScript, use Unicode escape sequences (like \u0026 for &) or escape special characters like quotes with backslashes (\", \'). HTML entities would be treated as literal text strings in JSON/JavaScript, not as special characters.
Can I use emojis as HTML entities?▼
Yes! Emojis can be represented using numeric entities with their Unicode code points. For example, 😀 is 😀. However, modern browsers support UTF-8 encoding, so you can usually type emojis directly in your HTML. Entities are useful for ensuring compatibility or when you need to document the exact character being used.
What happens if I forget the semicolon in an HTML entity?▼
The semicolon is required for proper HTML entity syntax. Without it, browsers may not recognize the entity and will display it as literal text (e.g., "©" instead of "©"). Some browsers try to be forgiving and may still parse common entities, but this is unreliable and can cause bugs. Always include the semicolon for valid, predictable HTML.
Does using HTML entities affect SEO?▼
No, search engines decode HTML entities when crawling your content, so "5 < 10" is understood as "5 < 10". However, excessive encoding of regular characters can make your HTML harder to read and maintain. For SEO, focus on readable, semantic HTML and only encode characters that need encoding. Proper encoding also prevents broken pages, which would hurt SEO.
Is this tool free to use?▼
Yes! This HTML entity encoder/decoder is completely free with no limits. Encode and decode as much content as you need. All conversions happen instantly in your browser—no data is sent to any server, ensuring your content stays private and secure.
Developer Tips
🔒 Security First
Never trust user input. Always encode HTML entities before displaying user-generated content to prevent XSS attacks. Use your framework's built-in escaping functions (React automatically escapes, but be careful with dangerouslySetInnerHTML).
⚙️ Use Libraries
For production code, use well-tested libraries like lodash's _.escape() or DOMPurify for HTML sanitization. Don't roll your own encoding unless absolutely necessary—security is too important to risk incomplete implementations.
📝 Context Matters
Different contexts require different encoding. HTML content needs HTML entities, JavaScript strings need JavaScript escaping, URLs need URL encoding, and CSS has its own escaping rules. Use the right encoding method for each context.
🧪 Test Edge Cases
Test your encoding with edge cases like nested quotes, unicode characters, null bytes, and script tags. Security vulnerabilities often hide in edge cases that weren't considered during development.